


Save the Last Dance for Me

by theoncomingriver



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M, Hayffie, haymitch/effie - Freeform, heffie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-17
Updated: 2015-03-28
Packaged: 2018-03-01 23:36:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2791829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoncomingriver/pseuds/theoncomingriver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The ball before the 3rd Quarter Quell. Effie gets hit on and Haymitch gets jealous.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was previously on ff.net, but I moved it here.

**Disclaimer:**  I don't own The Hunger Games, obviously. Everything belongs to their respective owners.

Effie Trinket sipped a light pink colored drink as she surveyed the ballroom. She neither knew nor cared if it was alcoholic, figuring that if there was ever a night to get a little drunk, this was the night. The only tributes that she had ever escorted to victory were going back into the arena, back to certain death. It was just her luck; after mentoring tributes for 10 years, her tributes finally won during the year before the Quarter Quell. And it just so happened that this year's Quell involved the re-reaping of all of the past tributes.

She should be happy, excited, eating and drinking to her heart's content. Quells only happen every twenty-five years and were cause for much celebration in the Capitol. That was why she was here at this ball. She had come to keep an eye on Katniss and Peeta, to make sure that they didn't do anything to hurt their reputation. She had drug Haymitch along, telling him that it was important to look presentable and go to social events. The more sponsors the better. He had begrudgingly agreed to come, if only for the alcohol.

It was physically painful to be standing in this ballroom, watching all of these old tributes—heroes from her childhood—mingle and attempt to make cheerful conversation when everyone knew that all but one of them would be dead in a short time. These people, these victors, were the people that she had looked up to all of her life. She had seen almost all of their Games, seen the bloody battles that got them to where they were now. These people were the reason that she became an escort and they were all lined up for slaughter right before her eyes. Again. And there was nothing she could do about it.

She turned back to the bartender and asked for another drink, something harder. The bartender gave her a smirk and a wink, turning to get her drink. He filled up her glass, placed it in front of her, and leaned on the counter in what Effie supposed he thought was a seductive way. He ran a hand through his perfectly coiffed , bright purple hair and flashed her another crooked grin. On any other day, she would have flirted back, maybe even going as far as asking him out. He was her usual type, but something about his blinding white smile and his green lipstick seemed fake, sleazy even.

"So, the great escort Effie Trinket drinks." He commented, as she picked up the glass without a word. "Didn't know you had it in that pretty little body of yours. Say, you want to have a good time tonight?" he asked, leaning over and whispering the last sentence in her ear. Suddenly, she felt a large hand wrap around her waist, pulling her close. She looked up, surprised, and noticed Haymitch Abernathy standing next to her. It took her a few seconds to register that the hand planted firmly on her waist belonged to him, of all people.

The bartender looked surprised as Haymitch gave him a dirty look.

"She's mine, purple-hair. Get your greasy paws off her." Haymitch growled, pulling her closer. The bartender let out a forced laugh.

"She's  _yours?_  I think you might have had a bit too much alcohol again, filthy drunk. A pretty thing like her would never stand to be with a drunk like you." He snickered. Effie felt Haymitch tensing against her side. She grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him away from the bar.

" _What were you_   _thinking?_ " she hissed, slapping his hand that still lingered on her waist.

"That bastard was trying to get you in bed. I thought you'd appreciate it, sweetheart." He smirked down at her.

"Don't you 'sweetheart' me, Haymitch. I can handle myself." She stepped closer to him, trying to look somewhat intimidating.

"I don't doubt your abilities,  _princess._ I was trying to be nice. Remind me not to try that again." Effie stomped back to the bar angrily, walked over to the purple-haired man and kissed him full on the mouth. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Haymitch staring at them with a strange anger in his eyes. It looked almost…jealous.


	2. Chapter 2

Effie tried to pull away from the purple-haired man, but his hands were clamped around her face. He was a lot stronger than he looked. She was too preoccupied with trying to get away from his vise-like grip, that she didn't notice Haymitch turn away from them and walk away, taking a huge swig from his bottle as he left.

The man eventually came up for air, giving Effie her opportunity to pull away. He looked surprised as he squinted through his almost-closed eyes. His lips were still puckered, giving him the appearance of a demented fish. Effie had to bite her lip to keep from bursting out laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation.

What came over me? She thought to herself. I don't care about Haymitch. Why was I trying to make him jealous? What's in this drink?

She shook her head to try and clear out the fuzzy feeling that currently resided there. She walked through the intricately designed double doors that led to the restrooms. She entered the ladies' room, but left as soon as she heard the familiar retching sounds echoing from the stalls, followed by the high-pitched giggles of the Capitol women. Totally

She stood in the hallway outside of the bathroom doors and acted as though she was waiting for someone to arrive. She didn't want anyone to think she was lurking outside of the bathrooms alone. The things it would do to her reputation! She eventually had enough of standing still and decided to venture back into the ballroom. She was greeted by Portia, Peeta's stylist, who apparently had been looking for her the entire night. Portia told her that she needed to go find Haymitch right this second, because he was thoroughly, completely, and embarrassingly drunk. Evidently, he was making quite the scene.

She followed Portia through the crowd, coming upon a crowd of men sitting next to each other on long, cream-colored couches arranged in a square. They were roaring with thunderous laughter at something. As she got closer, Effie realized that they were laughing at Haymitch, who was slurring everything he said and mumbling nonsense sentences.

"…An' then, the giraffe fell flat on 'er ass." Effie caught this garbled sentence amid the raucous laughter and she rolled her eyes, clearly agitated. She and Portia stood side by side and watched the scene commencing among the man. It appeared that Haymitch would say something ridiculous and then everyone else would laugh, causing Haymitch to say some other piece of nonsense. Portia shot Effie a look and whispered,

"He's going to ruin our chances. Those men with him are some of the sponsors. You have to get him out of there."

"How?" Effie hissed back. "He's too drunk to function and won't even listen to me when he's almost sober."

"I don't know, but Katniss and Peeta's lives depend on it, so go." Portia shoved her shoulder gently towards the crowd. Effie stumbled on her towering stilettos and barely managed to balance herself by grabbing onto the back of the couch. No one even glanced her way; they were all too busy laughing at Haymitch.

She marched over to Haymitch, gave him a sugary-sweet smile, and grabbed him roughly by the wrist. She pulled him to a standing position and found that his legs were surprisingly strong, considering how drunk he was acting.

"Come on Haymitch," She grinned sarcastically, "Remember, your hair appointment is in five minutes! Come, come come! You must look presentable for tomorrow." She put extra emphasis on her squeaky accent, just to annoy him. Haymitch shot her a glare and tried to pull away from her grasp, but she held firmly, shooting him back a similar look.

"I'm not coming with you, woman." He growled in a low voice that made Effie's stomach do flip-flops.

"Yes you are!" She tugged on his wrist harder, but he wouldn't budge.

"Never." He said as he looked down into her eyes. She glowered back at him and tried not to let herself get distracted by his stunning, sapphire blue eyes. She heard a Sponsor wolf-whistle behind her. She cringed slightly as he called,

"Get it, Abernathy!" This comment caused Haymitch to wrestle his wrist free from Effie's grasp and he started to walk away. She chased after him, gently nudging people out of her way as she followed him while he shoved his way through the throngs of people.

Suddenly, as they were approaching the exit, he turned sharply and almost ran straight into Effie, who was following closely behind him. He gave her a long look and said,

"What do you want, woman? You annoy the hell out of me constantly and you can't even leave me alone to be with my friends?"

"You were embarrassing us in front of the Sponsors!" she hissed.

"Maybe I was just doing that to push your buttons, sweetheart." He winked at her, smirked, and turned to walk away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me forever to update!
> 
> xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> Read and review! Reviews make me happy and it's finals week, so I definitely need some happiness.


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